FREEPORT — For an Auburn team that's lost so many close games this season, it was important to seize control when the opportunity was there.

The Knights (3-5) did that Friday as they ran away from the Pretzels (1-7) in the second half of a 54-33 victory, their first at the Pretzel Bowl since 1995.

"It's redemptive for kids to win a game after they've lost so many close ones and to win strongly," Auburn coach Dan Appino said. "They feel like now they've got a chance to finish the season on their terms instead of struggling at the end. I'm really proud that they played four quarters."

The second half couldn't have started much worse for the Knights, who turned the ball over on the opening kickoff and saw Freeport march in for the game-tying score seven plays later. Auburn turned the ball over again on its next possession when Christian Lopez was picked off by Tim Vandenburgh who set the Pretzels up at the Knights' 12 yard line after the return.

But after the Auburn defense held the the Pretzels to just one yard and zero points, the momentum swung back in the Knights' direction for good.

Auburn took the lead on the ensuing possession with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a Armon Bailey two-yard touchdown run that gave the Knights the lead again. And they wouldn't relinquish it.

Christian Life 35, Hiawatha 0: Brady Pond ran for one touchdown and threw for two more to lead Christian Life.

Pond scored on a 1-yard dive and then hit Isiah Jones on TD passes of 26 and 41 yards. Omeiza Suleman added a 4-yard TD run, and Adam Ambrogio scored on a 2-yard run.

Pond finished with 91 yards rushing on 7 carries and waws 9-for-12 passing for 142 more yards. Jones had four catches for 97 yards.

North Boone 21, Richmond Burton 13: Nathan Bodey ran 16 times for 108 yards and was 3 for 11 passing for 83 yards to help lead North Boone.

Chris Walker scored on a 10-yard run for the Vikings, Gus Eisele added a 17-yard TD run and Body hit Jon Lilly on a 57-yard pass to account for North Boone's final score.

Galena 47, West Carroll 20: Bruce Scharpf scored both on offense and defense to lift Galena in the NUIC showdown.

Scharpf scored on a 24-yard run, a 2-yard run and a 7-yard run and added a 59-yard interception return. He finished with 165 yards on 21 carries to pace the Pirates.

Austin Long connected with Tyler Willard on a 25-yard TD pass and Austin Swisher added a 57-yrd TD run.

Shawn Magill led the West Carroll attack with TD passes of 17 yards to Marshall Benters, 3 yards to Brandon Sturtevant and 21 ayrds to Trevor Jones. Sturtevant added a 3-yard TD run.

Jeff Casey led the West Carroll defense with 12 tackles, while Devin Saunders added 10.

Forreston 48, Crossroads 6: Robert DeVries had a hand in three touchdowns, Spencer Cruthis scored twice and Max Barkalow rushed for 134 yards on just six carries as the Cardinals rolled in the nonconference game.

DeVries scored on a 55-yard interception return and connected with Barkalow on TD passes of 2 and 9 yards. Cruthis scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards. And Barkalow added an 83-yard TD run.

Logan Rogers added a 2-yard TD dive for Forreston.

Oregon 35, Mendota 20: Oregon's potent ground game produced 361 yards and touchdowns from five different players in the Big Northern win.

Ashton Rutherford struck first from 27 yards out and Garrett Rude added a 14-yarder to put the Hawks up 14-0. Nick Newman, who finished with 131 yards on 15 caries, then scored from five yards out for a 21-0 lead.

After a Mendota TD, Sayer Reynolds ran in from 8yards out and Tyler Blume scored from 5 yards to push the Oregon lead to 35-7 in the fourth.

Rude finished with 74 yards nad Rutherford added 65.

Winnebago 28, Byron 21: Byron put on a furious second half rally, but came up short in the Big Northern contest.

The Indians jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first on Sean Ward's 1-yard dive and Nolan Peterson's 10-yard run.

But Byron cut the margin in half when Base Byers hit Austin Carlson with a 12-yard scoring strike.

Winnebago upped its lead to 21-7 at the half on Peterson's 61-yard run, but Byers countered with a 4-yard run to make it 21-14.

Ryan Swigart then hit Isiah Yanni for a 63-yard TD early in the fourth quarter to go up 28-14. Tyler Huddleston capped things with a 1-yard dive for Byron with two minutes left.